The other morning I was sitting on the couch cuddling with Evelyn and life just felt so perfect that I had to take a moment to reflect. I looked around our living room, the floor hadn’t been vacuumed in quite a few days, dust bunnies sprawled across multiple surfaces, the doors and windows were smudged with little hands prints, one lone ornament hung on the tree, my hair longed to be washed and curled, besides going to work I hadn’t been out of the house in almost a week, but despite all of this I was so incredibly content because in that moment I realized that I’m living my dream.

For as far back as I can remember all I have ever wanted was to be a mom and a wife. My dream has never been to be a CEO or to travel the world or write a book or be on the big screen or own a business; it has always been to hear a high-pitched voice call me mama, to feel little hands wrapped around my neck, to have my face covered in sticky kisses, and to share all of those moments with the man of my dreams by my side. And while it would be nice to consistently get to run errands, look put together, and have a clean, perfectly decorated house, it would mean that this little angel wouldn’t be cuddled up in my lap.

One day Evelyn will be grown and out of the house and I’ll miss these snuggles and long for our floor to be covered in toys. So today I’m counting my blessings twice and embracing this messy, beautiful stage of life that we’re in.